Apparatus for treating elongated material

ABSTRACT

Successive sections of a strand material are advanced along a predetermined path into an entrance end of, through, and then out of a laterally closed chamber. The entrance end of the chamber is in communication with the air of the ambient atmosphere. High velocity jet streams of treating material are directed into the chamber toward oblique converging engagement with the successive sections of the strand material. Substantial components of the velocities of the jet streams are in the direction of travel of the strand material. The minimum cross-sectional area of the passages of the chamber through which the streams are directed and the strand material travels are substantially greater than that of the strand material. The velocity of the jet streams and the geometrical relationship of passages of the chamber through which the strand material and the jet streams pass and the pressure of the air are such as to create pressure differentials sufficient to cause air to be drawn into the entrance of the chamber at a volumetric flow which is substantially greater than that of the treating material. The air is mixed with the treating material to produce a vapor mixture which moves through the chamber along the path of the strand material to treat the strand material.

llnited States Patent [1 1 Woellner [4 1 Apr. 2, 1974 APPARATUS FOR TREATING ELONGATED MATERIAL [76] Inventor: Horst Louis Woellner, Lower East Hill Rd., Colden, NY. 14033 22 Filed: Mar. 5, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 337,820

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No, 101,713, Dec. 28, 1970,

abandoned.

[56] References Cited 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,270,364 9/1966 Steele 134/122 1,211,277 1/1917 Bloom.... 134/122 2,287,825 6/1942 Postlewaite 118/69 3,694,538 9/1972 Okamoto et a1. 118/325 Primary ExaminerWilliam F. ODea Assistant Examiner-Paul Devinsky Attorney, Agent, or FirmE.-W. Somers [57] ABSTRACT Successive sections of a strand material are advanced along a predetermined path into an entrance end of, through, and then out of a laterally closed chamber. The entrance end of the chamber is in communication with the air of the ambient atmosphere. High velocity jet streams of treating material are directed into the chamber toward oblique converging engagement with the successive sections of the strand material. Substantial components of the velocities of the jet streams are in the direction of travel of the strand material. The minimum cross-sectional area of the passages of the chamber through which the streams are directed and the strand material travels are substantially greater than that of the strand material. The velocity of the jet streams and the geometrical relationship of passages of the chamber through which the strand material and the jet streams pass and the-pressure of the air are such as to create pressure differentials sufficient to cause air to be drawn into the entrance of the chamber at a volumetric flow which is substantially greater than that of the treating material. The air is mixed with the treating material to produce a vapor mixture which moves through the chamber along the path of the strand material to treat the strand material.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTED APR 2 I974 SHEEI 2 [IF 2 APPARATUS FOR TREATING ELONGATED MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to apparatus for treating elongated material, and more particularly to apparatus for directing a cooling material into engagement with a strand material being advanced through a laterally closed chamber, the velocity of the cooling material and geometrical configuration of the chamber and the pressure of air at ambient atmosphere in direct communication with an upstream portion of the chamber being such that portions of the air are drawn into the chamber in sufficient volume to mix with the cooling material to cool the elongated material.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the manufacture of electrical conductor wire having plastic insulation, thewire is generally advanced from an extrusion die in which the plastic is extruded onto the wire, through the atmosphere and into an entrance end of a water cooling trough. As the wire is advanced into and through the cooling trough, the temperature of the plastic insulation is reduced substantially by a coolant material with an accompanying reduction in expansion.

Some of the prior known cooling troughs have not proven altogether satisfactory for producing conductors having the most desirable characteristics for communication uses. As the insulated wire is advanced into the cooling trough, a column of air is drawn along with the wire into the trough. This causes the formation of air bubbles on the surfaces of the insulation which tends to prevent the cooling water from engaging and cooling the insulation evenly. Also, as the wire is advanced through the cooling trough, additional air bubbles tend to form on the surface of the insulation as a result of air voids within the cooling water adjacent the insulation. Moreover, these air voids also cause uneven cooling of the insulation which results in undue stresses in the conductor.

At least one system teaches theuse of a'substantially enclosed container filled with cooling liquid which flows in a direction counter to that in which a strand material is advanced to prevent air from being drawn into the container along with the advancing strand.

Other problems may be involved in using conventional cooling troughs. Generally, the cooling apparatus includes a trough of considerable length. This requires the allocation of adequate amounts of floor space which is a valuable commodity in manufacturing facilities. Additionally, the conventional cooling troughs require high quantities of cooling water to fill the troughs and immerse the wire being advanced therethrough. This requirement also adds to the expense of this stage of the manufacturing process. Finally, the use of lengthycooling troughs causes inherent separation of equipment at either end thereof. The length of physical separation of the equipment increases the operator costs over that which could be achieved if the the cooling trough could be shortened.

The advancement of the wire througha water-filled cooling trough or chamber in a direction with or counter to that of the advancement of a strand material also requires a certain unpredictable amount of tension in the wire as applied by the capstan between the capstan and the extruder head to overcome the drag exerted by the water. Generally, the tension applied to the wire may reach the level of 7 to 8 pounds which tends to stretch the wire and to an uncontrollable extent. Consequently, the nominal diameter of the wire must be increased to insure that the final gauge wire will be within acceptable tolerance limits and to avoid the wire undergoing a permanent deformation. If the drag could be eliminated or substantially reduced, and a predetermined amount of tension applied to the wire, then the loss in outside diameter of the wire could be exactly determined. This would permit economical control of the material size required for acceptable tolerance limits.

The undue tensions in expecially the finger gauge wire may cause excessive wire breaks. This, of course, requires additional operator time to restring the apparatus', often at the expense of some other operation that requires the attention of the operator. If the drag on the wire could be reduced, the tension in the wire could be reduced with an accompanying reduction in the frequency of wire breaks.

Various arrangements for bringing cooling, coating or other treating materials into contact with an advancing strand material are known in the art. In one prior art patent, U.S. Pat. No. 1,741,815, issued on Dec. 3l, 1929 to J. E. Boynton, a cable sheathing is advanced from an extruding die through a restricted opening and then through a chamber of gradually increasing cross section wherein it is subjected to a cooling medium such as water which is introduced at a high velocity through an annular groove and arcuate passages. This produces an aspiratory action thus preventing leakage of the water back through the restricted opening. The water is directed equally around the sheath, completely submerging it, after which the water is evacuated laterally of the chamber through a discharge tube as the cable is advanced out of the chamber through a restricted opening.

Some cooling systems show the cooling of elongated shapes by supplying annular jet streams of a cooling material into engagement with an advancing elongated material with the cooling material submerging the elongated material and exiting therewith or laterally thereof. Other systems include the use of plurality of jet streams of cooling material sprayed upstream with respect to the direction of travel of the elongated material being treated.

In yet another system for cooling extruded products, jet streams of water spaced along and within a chamber spray water onto a cable sheath being extruded onto a core by a die adjacent an upstream end of the chamber. The amount of water supplied is greater than that required to cool the cable in order that an aspiratory ac tion is produced to draw air along passages coaxial with the sheath and through restricted openings near the one end of the chamber which serves to keep the water from undesirably backwashing against the extrusion die. This system, is not readily adaptable for cooling individual insulated conductors in a modern high speed insulating line. The excessive water increases, not reduces, drag forces on the conductor. This is not a problem in cooling a cable sheath where the line speed is slower and the material being advanced is many times the size of an individual conductor.

Solutions to the problems of excessive drag, requirements of high amounts of floor space and uniform cooling were sought by using an air-water mixture introduced into a chamber by a nozzle arrangement.

One such arrangement in the prior art involves passing a gas through a nozzle to produce a suction to draw air in through an aperture which is coaxial with the nozzle. A strand material is advanced through a coating material and then through the nozzle and aperture counter to the flow of the gas. The inflow of air is adjusted until a mixture of air and gas is obtained which will provide a desired effect on the coating on the strand material.

Other treating systems direct pressurized air past a nozzle connected to a supply of liquid to create an aspiratory action to form atomized water which is introduced under pressure into a chamber to cool a cable which is being advanced through the chamber. The injector arrangement described sucks liquid up through a supply into the chamber and the mixture of air and liquid is driven at a high velocity to treat the wire. The air-liquid mixture has the liquid dispersed in the air and expands along the chamber. As it expands, the mixture looses speed and is forced into an adjoining chamber and then laterally into the open air and on a recirculation bath. In systems such as this, it is not uncommon for strand material to be advanced in a direction counter to the flow of the atomized mist mixture.

Another system for treating strand material includes directing of liquid under pressure obliquely into a chamber and then through baffle plate which causes the water to whirl around and continue in a helically turbulent course into contact with a strand material within a restricted throat portion of a chamber and then along an expanded portion of the chamber. The whirling action of the water eventually dies out and the water drains out of the chamber laterally of the strand material (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,347,392).

Successive sections of a strand material may be cooled by passing the strand material through a tube into which liquid carbon dioxide is introduced into the tube under pressure, (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,114 issued on July 18, 1961 to T. T. Bunch et al.) through a nozzle. The liquid carbon dioxide expands into a gas and rapidly cools the strand material. The amount of cooling of the strand material is influenced by the amount of clearance between the strand material and an internal surface of orifices at each end of the tube. The amount of cooling of the strand material may also be regulated by changing the liquid pressure and the velocity of the liquid carbon dioxide being fed into the tube.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide improved apparatus for the treating of elongated material.

It is also an object of this invention to provide improved apparatus for cooling advancing strand material in such a way as to substantially reduce the drag and tension in the strand material with reduced requirements of floor space and cooling material, and which results in an improved more uniform cooling.

An apparatus for treating elongated material embodying certain features of the invention may include a laterally enclosed chamber having an entrance end and an exit end, an upstream portion of the chamber communicating with a fluid material capable of being in a gaseous state, facilities for causing relative movement along a predetermined path between the laterally closed chamber and successive sections of the elongated material, and facilities for directing at least one high velocity jet stream of treating material into the chamber downstream from the portion of the chamber communicating with the fluid material. The direction of the jet stream is such that a substantial component of the velocity of the jet stream is in the direction of travel of the successive sections of the elongated material. The minimum cross-sectional area of portions of the chamber through which the stream is directed and the successive sections of the elongated material extend are substantially greater than that the crosssectional area of the elongated material. The velocity of the jet stream of treating material, the geometrical relationship of the portion of the chamber through which the successive sections of the elongated material extend and the jet stream pass, and the pressure of the fluid material in direct communication with the upstream portion of the chamber are such as to create a pressure differential sufficient to cause portions of the fluid material communicating with the upstream portion of the chamber to be drawn into the chamber in a gaseous state at a volume of flow per unit time which is substantially greater than the volume of flow of the treating material per unit time to mix with the treating material and produce a vapor mixture which moves through the chamber to treat the elongated material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and features of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus which embodies certain principles of this invention and which includes a laterally enclosed chamber through which successive sections of a strandmaterial are advanced and having facilities for supplying water at a high velocity into an upstream end thereof;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view of an upstream portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 which includes provisions for directing a plurality of high velocity jet streams of water into the chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown an apparatus, designated generally by the numeral 10, for cooling successive sections of a strand material 11. The successive sections of the strand material 11 are formed from successive sections of a conductor which are advanced into and through an extruder (not shown) which applies a covering of plastic insulative material thereto. Subsequently, the successive sections of the strand material 11 are advanced into and through the cooling apparatus 10 by a capstan (not shown) after which the strand material is wound on a take-up reel (not shown).

As can best be seen in FIG. 1, the cooling apparatus 10 includes a laterally closed chamber, designated by the numeral 21, which extends between and is supported on spaced catch basins 22 and 23. An upstream end portion (with respectto the advancement of the successive sections of the strand material 11) of the chamber 21 is connected to the catch basin 22 while a downstream end of the chamber is connected to the catch basin 23. The catch basins 22 and 23 are supported, respectively, on columns 26 and 27 which are mounted to a supporting surface 28. Intermediate supports for the chamber 21 may be used as required.

The laterally enclosed chamber 21 shown in FIG. 1 includes-three successive adjoining and communicating portions. As can be best seen in FIG. 2, a first or upstream one 31 of the portions is positioned at the upstream end of the chamber 21 and has a passage 32 formed therethrough. Further, the first one 31 of the portions has an annular cavity 33 formed therein which communicates with the passage 32 through a plurality of passageways 3434 that open to a beveled face 36. The first one 31 of the portions includes an entrance end 37 to the laterally enclosed chamber 21 at the upstream end of the passage 32. Finally, the first one 31 of the portions of the chamber 21 is in communication with a fluid material capable of being in a gaseous state. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first one 31 of the portions communicates with the air of the ambient atmosphere at the entrance end 37.

An intermediate or second one 38 of the three adjoining portions is connected to the downstream side of the first one 31 of the portions (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The second portion 38 has a passage 39 formed therethrough which is aligned with and communicates with the passage 32 in the first one of the portions. The cross-sectional area of the passage 39 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the passage 32. In a typical arrangement, a cross-sectional shape of the passages 32 and 39 is circular having diameters of approximately one inch and two inches, respectively.

Finally, a third one 41 of the portions is connected to the downstream side of the second portion 38 (see FIG. 2) and extends through an opening 42 in the catch basin 22 and then into an opening 43 of the catch basin 23 (see FIG. 1 The third portion 41 has a passage 44 formed therethrough which communicates with and is aligned with the passages 32 and 39 and which opens to an exit end 46 of the chamber 21. The crosssectional area of the passage 44 is smaller than that of the passage 39 of the second one 38 of the portions. In one embodiment of the invention, the third one 41 of the portions is a pipe having an inside diameter of approximately one inch.

The communicating passages 32, 39 and 44 of the chamber 21 shown in FIG. 2 are shown as being coaixal with the longitudinal axes of the advancing successive sections of the strand material 11. While this is the usual practice in installations of this nature, it is not essential to the operation of an embodiment of this invention.

In order to cool successive sections of the strand material 11 which are advanced through the chamber 21, provisions are made for supplying water to the chamber adjacent the upstream end thereof. The annular cavity 33 is connected through a riser 51 to a pump 52 supported on the surface 28. The riser 51 is connected through a conduit 53 to a supply (not shown) of cooling water.

The cooling water is forced up the riser 51 and into the annular cavity 33, then through the passageways 3434 to form a plurality of converging jet streams of water being directed into the chamber 21 (see FIG. 2). The passageways 3434 are formed so that the longitudinal axes thereof tend to converge within the chamber 21 and downstream of the first one of the portions with respect to the travel of the successive sections of the strand material 11. The slope of the passageways 3434 is such that a substantial component of the velocity of each of the jet streams of water that are forced through the passageways is moving in the same direction as the successive sections of the strand material. In an apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, the longitudinal axes of the passageways 3434 are inclined at an angle of from between 10 to 20 degrees with a line parallel to the longitudinal axes of the successive sections of the strand material 11.

Provisions are made for draining the water which emerges from the exit end 46 of the chamber 21 into the catch basin 23 and that which may backwash through the entrance end 37 into the catch basin 22. As can best be seen in FIG. 1, a vertical conduit 56 connects an opening in the bottom of the catch basin 22 with a conduit 57, and a vertical conduit 58 connects an opening in the bottom of the catch basin 23 with the conduit 57. The conduit 57 is run to a drain (not shown) where the reclaimed water may be accumulated and then routed through refrigerating apparatus (not shown) and recirculated to the pump 52 for resupply to the apparatus 10.

In order to cool the successive sections of the strand material'll in a uniform matter with a substantial reduction in drag forces imparted to the wire by the cooling material and with reduced requirements of floor space, the relative flow rates of the cooling material and the gaseous medium communicating with the first one 31 of the portions of the chamber 21 assume a critical role. Desirably, the volume of flow of the cooling material per unit time is substantially less than the volume of flow of the air per unit time. It has been found that the relative flow rates depend on the creation of a pressure differential. The creation of a pressure differential sufficient to result in these relative volumetric flow rates depends on the velocities of the jet streams, on the geometrical relationship of the cross-sectional areas of the portions of the chamber 21 through which the successive sections of the strand material 11 are advanced and the jet streams pass, and on the pressure of the fluid material in direct communication with the upstream or first one 31 of the portions of the chamber.

The selection of the pump 52 and the geometry of the passageways 3434 is made so that the water in the jet streams which impinges on the successive sections of the strand material 11 is of a high velocity. A jet stream consonant with this scheme would have a minimum ve- Ioc1ty of approximately feet per second with that used in one installation constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention being 210 feet per second. The jet streams, which number four in the hereinbefore described embodiment, are forced through very small diameter passageways. For example, in the constructed embodiment, the passageways 34-34 are 50/1000 inch in diameter. As will be recalled, the inside diameter of the passage 32in the first one 31 of the portions is approximately one inch.

The geometrical considerations of chamber 21 apply not only as between the cross-sectional areas of the portions of the chamber, but also extend to the relationship of the cross-sectional area of the chamber to the cross-sectional area of the strand material 11. Generally, the minimum cross-sectional area of the portions of the chamber 21 through which the jet streams pass and through which the successive sections of the strand material 11 are advanced are many times greater than the cross-sectional area of the strand material. For example, in an apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, the minimum diameter of any portion of the chamber through which the strand material 11 is advanced and through which the jet streams pass is approximately one inch compared to the diameter of 18 to 26 AWG gauge wire being advanced therethrough.

Moreover, the length of the third one 41 of the portions is substantial compared to the length of the first one 31 or the second one 38 of the portions. For example, in the embodiment constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, the length of the third portion 41 is ten feet, while the length of the first one 31 of the portions approximately is one to two inches and the length of the second one 38 of the portions is approximately two to three inches.

As successive sections of the strand material 11 are advanced into and through the chamber 21 and the jet streams of water are directed from the passageways 3434 into engagement with the strand material, a drop in pressure on the order of i to 12 inches of mercury occurs between the first portion 31 of the chamber and the passage 39. This causes portions of the air of the ambient atmosphere surrounding or communicating with the first one 31 of the portions of the chamber 21 to be drawn into the chamber through the entrance end 37 thereof. It should be observed that the first portion 31 could just as well be in communication with a supply of fluid material capable of being in a gaseous state. The important condition is that a pressure differential is created.

Using these velocities, dimensions, and pressures, measurements of the flow rates of water and air have been made. in one test, with four gallons per minute of water being moved through the combination of the four passageways 3434, it was determined that approximately 53 cubic feet of air per minute were being drawn into the chamber 21.

Of course, the overall structure of the first one 31 of the portions, the second one 38 and a third one 41, which performs as a restricted throat portion, could be redesigned into a shape which follows the stream lines of the flow patterns of the water and air. For example, the entrance end 37 could be funnel-shaped and the longitudinal walls of the second portion 38 could slope toward the throat portion having rounded entrance and even exit corners. The benefits derived from such a redesign may be lower frictional head losses.

The chamber 21 may be constructed with a downstream portion of the third one 41 of the portions having a passage formed therethrough which has a larger cross-sectional area than that of the passage 44. However, any such enlargement of the passage 44 should occur only after a substantial length of throat section of the passage immediately downstream of and communicating with the second one 38 of the portions. if the passage 44 is suddenly enlarged too close to the upstream end thereof, the water velocity will more likely than not not be affected. But the air will expand to fill the enlarged portion and consequently, the water velocity will exceed the air velocity which in the preferred embodiment are substantially equal. Should the air velocity by reduced, the water may not remain as intimately in contact with successive sections of the strand material 11 as it would if the air did not expand and tend to hold the water against the strand material.

OPERATION In the operation of the apparatus 10, successive sections of the strand material 11 are advanced from the extruder (not shown) into the entrance end 37 and then through and out of the exit end 46 of the chamber 21. An operator controls the operation of the pump 52 to supply water through the riser 51 to the annular chamber 33 and through the passageways 3434 into the chamber 21.

As the streams of water emerge from the passageways 34-34, the water tends to diffuse somewhat in a diverging spray (see FIG. 2), The jet streams of water tend to converge on the successive sections of the strand material 11 within the chamber 21 to substantially contact the entire periphery of the successive sections of the strand material.

The high velocity of the jet streams of the water, the geometrical relationship of the cross-sectional areas of the chamber and the pressure of the air of the ambient atmosphere create a pressure differential. This pressure differential is sufficient to cause the air surrounding the entrance end 37 of the chamber 21 to be drawn into the chamber at a volumetric flow rate which is substantially greater than that of the water. As the air is drawn into the second one 38 of the portions of the chamber, the air tends to mix with the water to create a vapor mixture. The vapor mixture moves through the chamber 21 being constantly in contact with the advancing strand material 11 to cool the strand material. The velocity of the air in the constructed embodiment is approximately 10,000 feet per minute compared to a water velocity of approximately 12,000 feet per minute.

A small quantity of water which does not combine with the air to form a vapor mixture accumulates at the bottom of the third one 41 of the portions of the chamber and merely drains out by gravity into the catch basin 23. The vapor mixture of air and water emerges continuously from the exit end 46 of the third one 41 of the portions at which time some of the momentum thereof has been dissipated so that there is some condensation into the catch basin 23. It has been observed that the water accumulating at the bottom of the chamber 21 does not reach that proportion required to engage the strand material 11 and exert a drag force thereon. It has also been observed in numerous readings that the temperature of the water at the exit end 46 of the chamber 21 is at least as low as the temperature of the water in the annular cavity 33 depspite the heat exchange with the plastic insulation.

Various modifications could be made to the apparatus 10 described hereinbefore and still be within the scope of the invention. For example, although four jet streams were shown, the only requirement is that at least one jet stream be used. Also, although the adjoin ing communicating portions of the chamber 21 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 have varying cross-sectional areas, the cross-sectional area of the portions of the chamber through which the successive sections of the strand material 11 pass and the jet stream pass need not vary, and may be constant.

What is important is the interreaction of three parameters to create a pressure differential sufficient to obtain the relative volumetric flow rates of water and air. The parameters are the velocity of the at least one jetstream of water, the geometrical relationship of the cross-sectional areas of the chamber 21 through which the successive sections of the strand material and the jet streams pass and the pressure of the fluid material in direct communication with the upstream portion of the chamber.

Certainly, the position of the jet stream passageways 34-34 may be repositioned with respect to the longitudinal axis of the chamber 21. For example, the passageways 34-34 could be repositioned further downstream. However, if the jet streams were further downstream, some of the vacuum effect would be lost due to increased frictional head losses. The lowest static pressure within the chamber 21 is within the conical area formed between the jet streams eminating from the passageways 34-34. Some of the pressure drop would be required to overcome the drop in pressure head over the longer distance than if the jet streams were further upstream.

It is also within the scope of this invention that the cooling of some materials which are used to insulate conductors may require repetitive installations of the three-portion chamber described hereinbefore or of successive constant portion chambers, each of the series of repetitive arrangements having at least one jet stream. In such an arrangement, a common manifold supply system, as well as a common drain system, could be used.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the principles of the invention. Other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is: I

I. An apparatus for treating elongated material, which comprises:

a laterally enclosed chamber having an entrance end and an exit end, an upstream portion of the chamber communicating with a fluid material capable of being in a gaseous state;

means for causing relative movement between the laterally closed chamber and successive sections of an elongated material along a predetermined path; and I means for directing at least one high velocity jet stream of a treating material into the chamber downstream from the portion of the chamber communicating with the fluid material;

the direction of the jet stream being such that a substantial component of the velocity of the jet stream is in the direction of travel of the successive sections of the elongated material;

the minimum cross-sectional area of portions of the chamber through which the stream is directed and the successive sections of the elongated material extend being substantially greater than the crosssectional area of the elongated material;

the velocity of the jet stream of treating material and the geometrical relationship of the cross-sectional areas of the portions ofthe chamber through which the successive sections of the elongated material extend and the jet stream passes and the pressure of the fluid material in direct communication with the upstream portion of the chamber being such as to create a pressure differential sufficient to cause portions of the fluid material in direct communication with the upstream portion of the chamber to be drawn into the chamber in a gaseous state at a volume of flow per unit time which is substantially greater than the volume of flow of the treating material per unit time to mix with the treating material and produce a vapor mixture which moves through the chamber along the path of the elongated material to treat the elongated material.

2. An apparatus for treating strand material, which comprises:

a laterally enclosed chamber having an entrance end and an exit end, an upstream portion of the chamber communicating with a fluid material capable of being in a gaseous state;

means for advancing successive sections of a strand material along a predetermined path into the entrance end, through and then out of the laterally closed chamber;

means for directing a plurality of high velocity jet streams of a treating material into the chamber downstream from the portion of the chamber communicating with the fluid material;

the direction of the jet streams being such that substantial components of the velocity of the jet streams are in the direction of travel of the succesive sections of the strand material;

the mimimum cross-sectional area of portions of the chamber through which the stream is directed and the successive sections of the strand material pass being substantially greater than that the crosssectional area of the strand material;

the velocity of the jet streams of treating material and the geometrical relationship of the cross-sectional areas of the portions of the chamber through which the successive sections of the strand material and the jet streams pass and the pressure of the fluid material in direction communication with the upstream portion of the chamber being such as to create a pressure differential sufficient to cause portions of the fluid material in direct communication with the upstream portion of the chamber to be drawn into the chamber in a gaseous state at a volume of flow per unit time which is substantially greater than the volume of flow of the treating material per unit time to mix with the treating material and produce a vapor mixture which moves through the chamber along the path of the strand material to treat the strand material.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluid material is in direct communication with the entrance end of the chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the at least one stream of treating material is directed into the chamber toward oblique converging engagement with the successive sections of the strand material.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the laterally closed chamber is coaxial with the predetermined path.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the mixture of treating material and the material in a gaseous state exit from a downstream portion of the chamber with successive sections of the strand material.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the upstream portion of the chamber and a downstream portion of the chamber open to the air of the ambient atmosphere.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the velocity of the letstreams of treating material is greater than 159 feet per second.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the chamber inciudes three adjacent communicating portions which 5 tionsinclude the upstream portion of the chamber, the inter- Patent No. 3,800,435 Dated April 2, 1974 Horst Louis Woellner Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Cancel the original printed Front Page and Substitute the corrected page, as shown on the attached sheet.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of O b 197 (SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR'.

C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents F ORM P0-1 050 (10-65) USCOMM-DC 603754 69 US GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 8 93 Q United States Patent 11 1 Primary Examiner-William F. ODea Assistant Examiner-Paul Devinsky Attorney, Agent, or Firm-E. W. Somers Woellner Apr. 2, 1974 APPARATUS FOR TREATING ELONGATED .MIERlA a i- 1 ABSTRMTT i 1 Inventor: Horst Louis Woellller, Golden, Successive sections of a strand material are advanced along a predetermined path into an entrance end of,

[73] Asslgme' zzgfg j g gs ?gfi g through, and then out of a laterally closed chamber.

The entrance end of the chamber is in communication [22] Filed: Mar. 5, 1973 with the air ,of the ambient atmosphere. High velocity [21] APP] N 337,820 jet streams of treating material are directed into the chamber toward oblique converging engagement with Related US. Application Data the successive sections of the strand material. Substan- [62] DiviSiQn of Ser, 101,713, Dec, 28 1970, tial components of the velocities of the jet streams are now Patent Np. 3 .740.862. in the direction of travel of the strand material. The

minimum cross-sectional area of the passages of the [52] US. Cl. 34/155, 266/3 R, 134/122 chamber through which the streams are directed and [51] Int. Cl F26b 13/28, C2ld 9/52 the strand material travels are substantially greater [58] Field of Search 34/9, 13, 23, 154, 155, than that of the strand material. The velocity of the jet 34/160; 118/325, 69; 28/59; 134/64, 102, streams and the geometrical relationship of passages 122; 266/3 R of the chamber through which the strand material and 1 the jet streams pass and the pressure of the air are [56] References Cited such as to create pressure differentials sufficient to UNITED STATES PATENTS cause air to be drawn into the entrance of the chamber at a volumetric flow which is substantially greater than that of the treating material. The air is mixed 2,287,825 6/1942 Postlewaite 118/69- with the "eating material to Produce a vapor mixture 3,694,538 9 1972 Okamoto et al. 118/325 which moves through the chamber along the p of the strand material to treat the strand material.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures M2,. timin -1 4 

1. An apparatus for treating elongated material, which comprises: a laterally enclosed chamber having an entrance end and an exit end, an upstream portion of the chamber communicating with a fluid material capable of being in a gaseous state; means for causing relative movement between the laterally closed chamber and successive sections of an elongated material along a predetermined path; and means for directing at least one high velocity jet stream of a treating material into the chamber downstream from the portion of the chamber communicating with the fluid material; the direction of the jet stream being such that a substantial component of the velocity of the jet stream is in the direction of travel of the successive sections of the elongated material; the minimum cross-sectional area of portions of the chamber through which the stream is directed and the successive sectionS of the elongated material extend being substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the elongated material; the velocity of the jet stream of treating material and the geometrical relationship of the cross-sectional areas of the portions of the chamber through which the successive sections of the elongated material extend and the jet stream passes and the pressure of the fluid material in direct communication with the upstream portion of the chamber being such as to create a pressure differential sufficient to cause portions of the fluid material in direct communication with the upstream portion of the chamber to be drawn into the chamber in a gaseous state at a volume of flow per unit time which is substantially greater than the volume of flow of the treating material per unit time to mix with the treating material and produce a vapor mixture which moves through the chamber along the path of the elongated material to treat the elongated material.
 2. An apparatus for treating strand material, which comprises: a laterally enclosed chamber having an entrance end and an exit end, an upstream portion of the chamber communicating with a fluid material capable of being in a gaseous state; means for advancing successive sections of a strand material along a predetermined path into the entrance end, through and then out of the laterally closed chamber; means for directing a plurality of high velocity jet streams of a treating material into the chamber downstream from the portion of the chamber communicating with the fluid material; the direction of the jet streams being such that substantial components of the velocity of the jet streams are in the direction of travel of the succesive sections of the strand material; the mimimum cross-sectional area of portions of the chamber through which the stream is directed and the successive sections of the strand material pass being substantially greater than that the cross-sectional area of the strand material; the velocity of the jet streams of treating material and the geometrical relationship of the cross-sectional areas of the portions of the chamber through which the successive sections of the strand material and the jet streams pass and the pressure of the fluid material in direction communication with the upstream portion of the chamber being such as to create a pressure differential sufficient to cause portions of the fluid material in direct communication with the upstream portion of the chamber to be drawn into the chamber in a gaseous state at a volume of flow per unit time which is substantially greater than the volume of flow of the treating material per unit time to mix with the treating material and produce a vapor mixture which moves through the chamber along the path of the strand material to treat the strand material.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluid material is in direct communication with the entrance end of the chamber.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the at least one stream of treating material is directed into the chamber toward oblique converging engagement with the successive sections of the strand material.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the laterally closed chamber is coaxial with the predetermined path.
 6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the mixture of treating material and the material in a gaseous state exit from a downstream portion of the chamber with successive sections of the strand material.
 7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the upstream portion of the chamber and a downstream portion of the chamber open to the air of the ambient atmosphere.
 8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the velocity of the jet streams of treating material is greater than 150 feet per second.
 9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the chamber includes three adjacent communicating portions which include the upstream portion of the chamber, the intermediate one of the portions having a cross-sectional area greater than the upstream one of The three portions and greater than the downstream one of the portions. 